1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an assembling manipulability evaluation apparatus, method, and program which evaluate appropriateness of an assembly operation by performing component assembly in virtual space corresponding to the movement of a hand of an operator and, in particular, relates to an assembling manipulability evaluation apparatus, method, and program which evaluate assembling manipulability while analyzing deformation stresses of the components which are deformed and engaged upon assembly.
2. Description of the Related Arts
Conventionally, assembling manipulability evaluation apparatuses which convert components into models in virtual space built by a computer, display them therein, and define an assembling procedure so as to evaluate whether assembling or operations of the components can be performed without a problem are known (JP2004-178222 and JP2002-073701). The assembly performance evaluation apparatus of JP2004-178222 three-dimensionally displays images of components of an assembly evaluation objective product, tools, hands of a user, etc. in virtual space by three-dimensional CAD and causes the user to experience assembly of the components corresponding to movement of the hands of the user as virtual reality, thereby performing examination of assembling manipulability. As a simulation of product assembly performed in virtual space of a computer, the assembly apparatus of JP2002-073701 forms a component having flexibility such as a wire harness or a rubber tube, in which deformation due to external force is caused, by a simple model which is a linear member composed of alternately connected minute bodies and elastic bodies, thereby assembling a product including flexible part components.
However, in such conventional assembling manipulability evaluation apparatuses, basically, components have been converted into models as rigid bodies and moved and rotated according to orders such as movement of the hands of a user so as to examine, merely, whether interference between the components occur or not during assembly or operation; therefore, in assembly of a product which undergoes an assembling operation while rigid component models are deformed to some extent, for example, like assembly of components by claw engagement, there is a problem that satisfactory examination cannot be performed. More specifically, in the conventional assembly evaluation apparatuses, for example regarding claw engagement of rigid component models, the models can be deformed to open claws so that interference between components do not occur with respect to push-in of engagement protrusions; however, since what kind of stresses are generated with respect to the deformation is unknown, there is a problem that whether the assembly by the claw engagement is appropriate or not cannot be evaluated.